The day still hadn't ended. Like a light waiting to shine in the darkness, the moon eagerly awaited its turn to brighten the night.
Warmth lingered in the air.
Footsteps multiplied as evening approached, with visitors arriving to enjoy the campus night view. The stalls would remain open as well.
The four of them headed back to the parking area.
Mok and Kao had already reached the car and were waiting for Toffee and Artit.
Mok stood silently beside the vehicle.
Kao closed the gap between them and gently called, "Mok..." He heard him, but his eyes still refused to meet Kao's.
His fingers trailed against Mok's hand, sliding down to intertwine them. "Did I do something wrong? It's hard seeing you like this, Mok. If I did something you didn't like, I'll try not to do it again. I promise. So tell me."
Mok kept his eyes down, his ears flushing like blossoming hibiscus petals. Then, he tilted his head up to face him.
The remaining space between them vanished. Kao's lips parted slightly, his warm breath ghosting over Mok's skin, anchoring Mok's gaze to his mouth.
Kao found it harder to breathe. Little by little, Mok leaned forward until their dry lips almost touched—then stopped, resting his head on Kao's shoulder.
His eyes dropped again. "Do I need to ask him? But what am I? Someone who just slept with him."
Mok clenched his fists, bunching the fabric of his shirt. "Screw it... Kao..." he thought. He bit gently into Kao's shoulder bone, causing a soft gasp to slip from Kao's lips.
Their eyes—bright as jewels—met again.
Kao whispered, "Aren't you afraid of someone seeing us like this?"
"No... But I am... not now... am I weird?"
Seeing Mok's expression, Kao stroked his hair. "You are not... even if you are, I don't care." Kao's slightly sweaty fingers tightened around Mok's pinky.
"Mok..." He breathed his name. "I..."
Before Kao could continue, Mok cut him off, lifting his head from Kao's shoulder.
"I have something to ask you." Before he could continue, Toffee and Artit came into view, still chatting with each other.
"I'll do it later. Now isn't a good time."
Kao nodded. His gaze fell to their joined fingers before he reluctantly let go. Their thoughts collided in a silent plea: stay with me...
After a brief silence, Kao asked, "Do you hate me?"
Mok stiffened. Before he could answer, Toffee and Artit reached them, cutting the moment short as Mok awkwardly scrambled into his car.
"Mok... what's wrong?" Toffee asked the moment he noticed Mok's panicked, clumsy steps.
Mok quickly avoided the question. Not long after, he and Toffee headed back to their dorm.
Kao watched as the car gradually disappeared from sight.
Inside the car—
The gear shifted as his mind did, but the drifting thought was abruptly cut off.
"Mok... Mok..." Toffee tapped his arm nervously. "Keep your eyes on the road. You're spacing out. I almost lost my life here."
"Sorry..." Mok forced his attention back to the steering wheel, but Kao's question refused to leave him.
"Do I hate him...? Do I hate him...?"
"I never hated his touch. His... clinginess. His... sweet words. I don't... hate him."
Glancing at Toffee, who was staring out the window, Mok muttered, "Toffee... I think I'm in trouble."
Catching the faint sound, Toffee turned toward him. "Did you call me?"
Mok deflected, replying, "No. Can't you see I'm fully focused on driving?"
Toffee scoffed, gagging dramatically. "Coming from someone who almost got me killed a few minutes ago."
"When did I do that? Thanks to my skills, I handled it perfectly. The car didn't even shake." Wearing a proud grin, Mok drove on, while Toffee spent the rest of the ride complaining that he should never drive like that again.
A few minutes after the car pulled away from campus—
Kao stood as still as a statue. Watching him, Artit broke the silence.
"Kao... let's go. We have to get to the workshop."
When he received no response, Artit stepped closer. "Kao... there are still plenty of days ahead. You haven't lost your chance. As long as he's waiting, you won't miss it."
"You know I've never believed in destiny, Artit, no matter how many times you've told me. But..." Kao trailed off.
Artit rested a hand on his lost friend's shoulder. "Fate can be cruel sometimes. But don't give up before you've even begun. You know how long I waited just to hold his hand. And now that I've chosen to love him again..."
His voice cracked. "I'm scared of what will happen next. It's not the first time you've seen me like this, Kao. There was a time when I thought I should stop choosing Toffee."
After a quiet pause, he shook his head. "But the moment I saw him, I realized I couldn't. Just imagining someone else holding his hand hurt more than anything."
Kao lost his voice, digging his fingernails into his palms. "Sorry. Because of me, you have to..."
"No," Artit interrupted. "You know me better than anyone." His gaze warmed as he looked at him. "I really wish you had been there back then, Kao."
A faint smile touched Kao's lips. "I wish I had been there too."
The two turned and walked toward the workshop together, their shadows stretching across the ground in the moonlight.
Above them, the moon faintly illuminated the night.
***
The lights of Paradox Bar brightened the street outside, their glow reflecting across the pavement.
Inside, the atmosphere was even livelier. A guitar blended with singing from the stage, glasses clinked at a nearby table, and a birthday song echoed from another corner. Upstairs, guests enjoyed dinner and live music in the reservation-only dining area.
Near the center of the bar, a group of youngsters sat together. Touching his bruised cheek, one of them grumbled, "Was I really that wrong? I only approached him because he was my type. Are all handsome people that rude?"
Hearing this, one of his friends disagreed. "That's your fault. Anyone could tell he wasn't in a good mood."
"Are you my friend or his?" the injured man complained, recalling the incident. "What's his name again? Oat, right?"
"That's right."
"I heard that too."
Just a few minutes earlier, the bar had nearly fallen into complete chaos.
Fortunately, the fight had died down. The group actually felt relieved, even though they had originally planned to start trouble because Oat had hurt their friend.
It was all thanks to Artit and Kao. Otherwise, the situation Oat created could have become much worse. Of course, Oat probably wouldn't know that since he had been drunk. Anyway, everything had returned to normal.
By the end of the day, people had already forgotten and moved on, the time slipping away like the wind as it carried everything forward.
The next morning was filled with worry, happiness, and laughter.
Classes had officially begun, and the freshmen were gradually adjusting to their new lives and the dreams that came with them.
Toffee headed to the music club to sign up, while Mok and Lamon made their way to the anime club.
"Toffee! Bye! Call me if you're going back with P'Artit."
"Okay."
"He's coming with me, Mok," Artit replied immediately.
Toffee blinked. "But Phi, when did I agree?"
"Now." Artit grabbed Toffee's hand and led him away.
Toffee waved at Mok and Lamon before making a finger heart, while his friends tried to hold back their laughter as they watched the pair leave.
"They really are a perfect match, aren't they?" Lamon murmured.
Mok quickly nodded. "Definitely. Then let's go."
Their footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.
"Mok." Lamon suddenly squeezed Mok's arm.
"Lamon... you really need to control your hands." Rubbing the sore spot, Mok frowned. "It hurts."
Seeing this, Lamon lightly nudged Mok. "Come on. I'm not as strong as you."
Mok gave him a doubtful look. He couldn't tell whether Lamon genuinely didn't realize his own strength or was simply pretending.
"But Mok... didn't you say the anime club is newly established? Still, shouldn't we see at least one person around? Why is it so quiet?"
"...Can we run?"
"What are you talking about?" Mok snatched Lamon's arm as Lamon attempted to hide behind him.
"I can see it. Look—the anime club sign." Mok pointed toward a room ahead. "It looks shabby," he said.
Lamon quickly added, "More like haunted."
Standing in front of the room, Mok slid the door open.
Bang!
The door slammed heavily against the floor.
"Don't they have money to fix that? Mok... I think this was a bad idea." Lamon spun around to leave, but Mok snagged his arm to stop him.
Even though they were scared, neither of them ran away. Not because they were brave, but because they didn't want Toffee teasing them afterward.